Scientists Conclude: Sweather Weather is Better

As great is Fall can be, depending on where you live and your love for all things pumpkin-spiced, winter has got to be my favorite time of year. At first glance, you might think that I love winter because I am a burly, bearded Texan, and this time of the year is our only real respite from scorching temperatures and flying blood-sucking bugs. That glance would be correct. That being said, there is tons of research to support the idea that Winter is good for everyone, not just us folks down here in the south.

Cold Weather Means No Bugs

As I mentioned before, for my location on the planet, cold weather means that all of the flying and biting bugs from spring and summer go back to hell where they belong. If you happen to be one of the rare people on the planet that happens to like mosquitos or ticks, just remember the long list of diseases that they carry like West Nile, malaria, or Lyme disease.

Cold Weather Connects Us

When people get stuck indoors for longer than usual periods of time, they tend to get bored. This boredom often leads to us reaching out to others around us more than we might normally do if we were stuck in our normal hustle and bustle routine. A study done in 2012 found that people not only reached out to their friends and family more often when isolated by cold weather, they talked to them longer as well. Besides picking up the phone, when the temperatures go down, the need for snuggling goes up. We all need snuggles, right?

Cold Weather Makes You Skinnier

What if I told you that just the action of being cold could burn calories? Well, it can, but that is not a valid reason to go get in your refrigerator. There was a recent study that showed that “brown fat”, which is a natural form of fat in our bodies that burns other “white fat” when it is activated, is set into motion by cold weather. Another interesting aspect of cold weather is that helps with our overall body image. It’s hard to beat yourself up about not having your ideal “bikini body” when you are bundled up in a parka.

Cold Weather Relieves Inflammation

If an ice pack is good for swollen and achy joints, imagine what an entire season of cold weather can do. There is a lot of research to back up the theory of cryotherapy, and cold weather is just like cryotherapy on a bigger, longer scale.